It’s Week 10 in the NFL as the New Orleans Saints travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year is finally back from an injury he suffered in week one, he’s been sorely missed by this defense. On the second Steelers drive of the day, Pickett and the offense march down the field and take a 7-0 lead on a G. Pickens run. Steelers got into field goal range thanks to a long run by N. Harris as they go into the second quarter up 10-0. Steelers defense although played great pretty much all day, they did slip up a little in the second quarter allowing the Saints to score 10 unanswered to tie it at the half thanks to a W. Lutz field goal and a 15-yard dart to TE J. Johnson from A. Dalton. 10-10 Halftime. At halftime, Steelers legend Heath Miller was honored and inducted into the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor. The third quarter was quiet. Not a whole lot of offense in this quarter. Pickett and the Steelers offense drove down the field early in a drive but it stalled and they missed a 39-yard field goal. Chris Boswell is still injured so Steelers have K Matthew Wright kicking the field goals today. At the end of the 3rd and early 4th, the Steelers offense gets going again but yet again stalls as they settle for a 33-yard field goal. 13-10 Steelers. A couple of plays into the next Saints drive A. Dalton drops back and tries to hit J. Landry over the middle of the field instead deflecting off his hands into the air where D. Kazee gets a clutch turnover in his Steeler debut. That would turn out to be huge as the Steelers offense takes that turnover and turns it into 7 on a K. Pickett rush. 20-10 Steelers. Now I know what you’re thinking here Steelers nation, up 20-10 in the 4th quarter? They’ll blow it somehow like in the Jets game, right? Nope. Next Saint drive the Steelers force a 4th and 1 on the Saints 34 yard line. They went for it and the Steelers defense came up clutch with the stop. Steelers ball, which resulted in another missed field goal, unfortunately. Saints got the ball back and A. Dalton throws yet another INT to CB L. Wallace. Steelers would go on to run the clock out and win the game 20-10. Steelers advance to 3-6 on the year, as the Saints fall to 3-6. Good team win for the Steelers as they shift their focus onto Cincinnati.
Notable Stats:
Saints-
A. Dalton 17/27 174 passing yards 1 passing TD 2 INTs
A. Kamara 8 rushes/3 receptions 26 rushing yards/19 receiving yards
J. Johnson 5 receptions 44 receiving yards 1 TD
Steelers-
K. Pickett 18/30 199 passing yards 8 rushes 51 rushing yards
N. Harris 20 rushes 99 rushing yards
G. Pickens 3 receptions/2 rushes 32 receiving yards/23 rushing yards 1 TD
Ray Crespo